Endura again, despite Gustavsson’s win for UK Youth

Niklas Gustavsson sprinted to give UK Youth their biggest victory to date in tonight’s fourth round of the Halfords Tour Series – but series leaders Endura Racing came away from Redditch with the team prize once again.

With no rider able to jump clear, the Swede gave UK Youth their first individual Tour Series victory, while Windsor and Sulzberger completed the podium. Cronshaw, meanwhile, crashed out of contention with 250m to go.

Speaking afterwards, Gustavsson – who finished second in Colchester last year – said: “It feels very good. I was so close last year and all I wanted was to come back and win.

“Once we got clear, everyone was taking their turns. On the last lap I was in second wheel; I had Windsor and House behind me. On the bottom corner, I reacted before anyone else did and when I went, I gave it everything I could.”

Windsor was disappointed not to take the individual win, but stressed the importance of Endura taking the team prize once again.

“The main goal is to win the team award, and the lads have been amazing in
every race. If something happens to one of our riders, someone is their to fill their shoes. We haven’t put a foot wrong so far,” he told Cycling Weekly.

Double individual round winner in 2012 Scott Thwaites won the bunch kick for fourth, and with Jonny McEvoy in seventh, Endura took the team
victory on the night. UK Youth were just three points behind in second, with Node4-Giordana in third.

It was another tough night for IG-Sigma Sport, who finished eighth, behind CyclePremier-Kovert and Herbalife-LeisureLakesBikes.